'I know Mumbai is burning'-Zulfi Syed

Zulfi Sayed

 

 

I had thrown a party as a celebration, post the Bigg Boss event at Hotel Sahara Star, outside the Domestic Airport (Santa Cruz). Rahul Mahajan and Raja Choudhary had already arrived while Rakhi Tandon was still on her way. We didn't have a clue to what was happening ' the party had just begun.

At around 11, we heard a huge explosion right outside our hotel. I saw a taxi ' blown-up, bits of it in the air. A few people died on spot. There was major confusion. Once we switched on the television, we heard about Taj, Oberoi and Marriott being attacked and people being taken as hostages.

Everyone panicked as news filtered in that terrorists might just make their way to this particular hotel as well. The hotel authorities quickly ensured that all the entry/exit gates were locked. No one was let out or let in. I called up others and told them to return, or be wherever they are. There was police surveillance outside the hotel and we kept following the news on TV.

The phone lines were jammed, everywhere one could see screaming, crying, running people. I stayed on till the evening in the hotel, because I stay a little far from this place, and so, didn't want to take the risk of stepping out. However, the rest of us were let out in the wee hours of the morning yesterday. The point is, despite so many attacks already, this has taken everyone by surprise, especially holding up common people at gunpoint. Mumbai, today has lost its most important police officials, and the numbers are only going up. Although we are fine as of now, I know Mumbai is burning. For everyone out there, all I want to say, is this is our country and in times like this, we have to stand united and fight forces who commit such acts to shake the very roots of the country.

(As told to Sashwati Sanyal)

Rahul Mahajan

Zulfi and Raja were already there, and we were all waiting for Rakhi to join us. That was when we heard the blast, and there was chaos. We switched on the television, and the place quickly filled up with mediapersons. Everyone was running around in panic.

We tried to call and warn the others who were supposed to join us for the party, and managed to get through to Elena. We told her not to come to the hotel, but we couldn't get through to the others, or to our relatives at home. But I managed to send an SMS to my folks, saying that I was safe. Zulfi and I stayed on at the hotel ' we both had booked rooms there ' because it wasn't safe to travel at that point in the night and we both stay very far away from where the hotel is located. We stayed through the night, and I finally left at 9 am, leaving Zulfi back at the hotel."

(As told to Purnima Sharma)